Germany held in check by Ukraine in preparation

Without its four Champions League finalists, Germany could not do better than a draw (0-0) against Ukraine in a preparation match for Euro 2024 (June 14-July 14), Monday evening at the Max-Morlock Stadion in Nuremberg. The Germans remained on two convincing victories in March in a friendly match, in Lyon against the French of Kylian Mbappé (2-0) and against the Netherlands in Frankfurt (2-1) which gave hope to their supporters for the ‘Euro at home.

Faced with a Ukrainian team positioned very low and essentially proceeding on a counter-attack, the Germans created the best chances, notably through Maximilian Beier, who came on at the hour mark and found the crossbar two minutes later. The Hoffenheim striker also initiated a German counterattack in added time, ending with an attempt by Deniz Undav repelled by Anatoliy Trubin.

German coach Julian Nagelsmann had to do without his midfielder Toni Kroos and his central defender Antonio Rüdiger, core players in his starting XI and Champions League winners with Real Madrid, and was also without Nico Schlotterbeck and by Niclas Füllkrug, unfortunate finalists of the C1 with Borussia Dortmund.

Absent from the selection since the third and final match of the World Cup in Qatar on December 1, 2022, Manuel Neuer made his return to the Mannschaft goals and saved the day for his team at the end of the first period with a strike from Roman Yaremchuk, boxed with both fists then captured.

Germany will play a final preparation match on Friday in Mönchengladbach against Greece, seven days before the opening match of its Euro 2024, in Munich against Scotland. The organizing country is in Group A of the competition, with Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland.